The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-10
is desired-in q sitting room, for instance-red
hangings suggestive of clear sunset are plcas-
AT THE PISTOLS MUZZLE.
Being Forced to a Duel by a Bully, Make
a Choice of Method.


New York sun.
was participant in the hardest fehting at
Gettysburg, and / was at Fredericksburg the
Wilderness. and second Bull Run, but / am tell
ing you honestly that / would take my chances
over again in all OF those fights rather than
stand up to be shot at by a single man In what
is called duel. It has been my misfortune to
be- forced into two affairs or the Kind, and
speak by the card.
Two years previous to the war business of q
legal nature called me to Charleston. There was
litigation over legacy, and the feeling between
the heirs was anything but pleasant The leader
of those seeking to break the will was middle
aged South Carolinian of fiery temper. while the
leader Of those inheriting was man from Ohio
It was made plain to me before I had been in
Charleston two days that the contestants
determined to go to any length.
man who could be brow-beaten and bluffed,
their two lawyers were noted for the number OF
duels they had fought, and the heirs had no
friends in or out of court. l was at once APP
preached with a direct offer to sell out. A per-
son was sent to my room at the hotel to make
me the offer. and within an hour after he was
kicked out ths snemy tried another move The
following note was sent to me through the Office
of the hotel:
Mr. Blank I beg you to heed the warning of =
friend Withdraw from the case of Crane agt. Cox,
and save your life. You will surely be killed it you
don't
1 laughed at the idea Had I arrived in
Charleston to stir up trouble among the slaves
should have expected to take my chances of be-
ing knitted. shot or lynched. but If the contest
ants in q will case could drive me off by threats
or dared attempt nv life, the times had come to
a pretty pass. As did not know who had sent
the note could not reply to it, nor did let its
contents bother my mind 1t might have come
from friend, or 1t might be ruse on the part
of the enemy.
ing of nv case. It was on call for Tu esday. On
Monday afternoon I had occasion to go to the
public library to hunt up some dates and to look
through the files of the Mercury. was engaged
in this work when a tall. slim representative
Southerner entered the room. He had long
black hair, black eyes, dark complexion, and
around the room be approached the table at
which stood and said:
You have taken an unwarranted liberty,
SIR"
ST always come here at this hour to consult
those files. and you have thrust yourself in to
insult me.
TODAY. and SO far from being aware of your
habit did not even know of your existence. l
am through with the file, and am also about
ready to vacate the room, Wnlcn suppose Is
.sThere is my card. sir,u he exclaimed, as he
ierked pasteboard from his vest-pocket and
The card bore the address: IA. Mcknight.
New Orleans" It wasn't bit singular that he
had it handy tofhr0w at me- for he had come
"Glad to meet you, SIR" said, as read tho
you have insulted me and I demand salts
faction friend of mine will wait on you this
aftsrno,n y
With that he turned and walked OFF. leaving
me completely upset. | sat down to think it
,s;o 49, - v.s tho yvort Of the contast
ootsius IT, h.S ;nnar,aa :. man nrobablv
professional duelist, to force me into q duel and
for no other purpose than to force quarrel. and
a f1imsier nretext for a duel was never heard of
T was = man of neace. and would have sacrificed
h,oS 90 saizaa NV hat and
y .. H. ..raat da;.rm;nsd -
corIa End NcRn;sbt RI Dive him a
better axcnse for calling me ON. As luck would
have IL 7 encountered him within hundred
srens He was coming toward mo- and as we
ma. pava him a vioorons alan across the mouth
w. shoo, ~ down then and shara I'm. .eizsd
him hv the shonlders and fnnp him against a
aaaa vail win such force that he was stunned.
a,,a ss1a i.f. Mn; ,v,n there in haani
90 aI.honrb Z rnSv raal;zad that l. was limos.
sihla for ma74o rafnse . challenges 7 was nuch
better satisfied than before If must fight
thsre was some excuse for it.
In about two hours the leader of the contest
ants called unon me- as the friend and second Of
McKnieht He was in an exultant mood Nc
KNIGHT was a professional duelist. and must
fpht at great odds or sneak out of the citv and
abandon the case think he counted on my
making an abiect apology and agreeing to leave
the citv. for ha was greatly east down when I
"a
st hs,;.r. +h.+ dra1,n. !. hit .roth.r nam.
To- - hn- rnda- nrasant circumst.noa.G
ebail snk NV scrnnIas and accent the chaIlenca
Under the rules OF the code have the choice Of
weapors. Return here at 9 o'clock in the morn
ing and / will name the weapons. and will also
be ready to proceed to the fieldn
He argued that no true gentleman would ask
for nvthinp more than pistols at ten PAGES but
was firm The meeting was settled for the
seconS morning at o'clock and the second
went way to wait for nv decision Was I
upse, Yes Did I have a cowardly fear2
No. It was nightmare My feelings were
something like those of the man who knows
that he is to be led out to death at a certain
date was ;uat ne firmly resolvad n foht
that man as I could resolve on ANYTHING but
the burden On NV mind was enonoh To nrstr;nc
everv nerve wasno shot with n,sto1 or rifle
ana had nevarhandlad sword He had avarv
ad vantage in that rasnect Tvo-thirds OF the
dav had nassed before 7 made mr. INV mind how
we should fight It would be certain death to
both but il was the onlv wav 10 even nm our